Category: 100 days of happiness

This has been an incredible journey. I questioned whether or not I would make it, stumbled upon happiness in unexpected places and learned there was always a happiness no matter how small that can be found.

I think it is quite fitting that my final day of happiness revolves around one thing that always brings me happiness – my daughter. This was the day to bake cookies and make candies for Christmas. She came over to help with the candies and we laughed, had a chocolate fight, drank a little wine and listened to Christmas carols. We did also find time to actually make some goodies during all of that too… 😉

The kitchen smelled of sweets and sounded of laughter and music. I am so glad she enjoys carrying on some of the traditions we had when she was little. She took a few goodies to share with her coworkers tomorrow and a few to keep herself.

I hope some of you try this challenge even if you choose not to write about it. It really has been fun. And it was good for me to push on my days that the depression was stronger to find something that was happy. Those are the days I learned the most. To quote Bobby McFerrin – “Don’t worry, be HAPPY!”

Today was a day full of errands to run. But within the never ending go go go I did find a moment of happiness at the craft store. I went looking for a gift cylinder to “wrap” a craft beer bottle for Christmas and I stumbled on a sale on a couple of supplies I ran out of while making Christmas cards. I left with 4 things for about $11 … about half price on all of the purchases. I love to shop like that!

In my last few days of writing for this challenge I feel I need to thank those of you who have kept up with all 100 of my entries, well 98. I have struggled some days to find happiness but there has always been a small point in the day that has made me happy.

Like yesterday I have been writing more letters to go with my Christmas cards. But I also did a little picking up of things to clear off the table where I usually wrap Christmas gifts. It really feels good to be where I am at with my shopping and festivities for Christmas. This is the first year in a long time I feel I will get all my cards to everyone before Christmas is actually here. I recall many years writing addresses at 10 or 11 o’clock on Christmas Eve racing to the post office to get it into the mailbox “before” Christmas at midnight.

I think my happiness today is being on schedule with Christmas and all the trimmings. I always seem to run out of time for something… this year I really feel it is all going to work out. And that makes me happy!

I had dinner tonight with two dear friends. One was a big help to me when I was going through my cancer treatments and the other has been a friend for years from work as well. It had been far too long since we had gotten together to talk so dinner stretched out more than 3 hours! We had to catch up on how our families were doing… and let’s just say it has been a bad year. We decided tonight that 2017 has to be better… murder (of a family pet), suicide attempts, health crisis, alcoholism, etc. We decided we should write a soap opera based on our lives as things have been so rough it is hard to believe.

But we got out laughter and tears. Leaned on each other a little and exchanged wishes for a great Christmas and a MUCH better New Year. We promised to get together more often and stay in touch. It was a wonderful night with good food and great friends. …now bring on that better New Year!

Down to the last few days of my challenge… I think I will make it. There were a few days that were a little tougher to come up with a happiness than others, but I did it. Now I realized one of the best parts of the year will miss out on my happiness blog. I will finish just a few days before Christmas, but there are many joys of Christmas before hand in the planning that bring me happiness.

Today I got to write 3 letters to family and friends to put in with their Christmas cards. I love letter writing. It can be such a personal little piece of yourself you share with others… of course it can be however you chose to write it really. But me, I tend to share a lot.I can “talk” better to people in print than face to face. I am sure my social anxiety is what causes that.

So my Christmas letters usually sum up the year, but I have never liked the form letter route so I write an outline of sorts before I start writing the letter so I don’t forget to share some piece of news from the year. This year I have just been winging it though and so far so good. But bottom line a letter does send a piece of you to the receiver. And I don’t know about you but I would rather get a letter over a bill in the mail any day!

Today did not go at all the way I had planned but it worked out great still. I set out to make my Christmas cards today and had my planned wording and image saved, but when I went to cut it out, my Cricut machine did not want to work. I fought design features and changing what I wanted to print for about an hour before I finally decided it just was not meant to be this year. So I dug up my inking supplies and stamped a very basic card about 25 times then pulled out some cards in reserve to finish off my card list and in one afternoon I had addressed and made all my Christmas cards. Now I have ten letters to write to go with them… I should have these done and MAYBE arriving on time this year. A pretty good day in spite of the change of plans! 🙂

I am starting to bounce back a little from the anxiety, depression and fatigue of the last few days. The first half of the day was slow going but I did make some progress tonight. I emptied the dishwasher, worked on Christmas cards and ran to both the pharmacy and my Dad’s house. The weather tried to drag me down, but I just took it slow and made sure rush hour was well over with before I ventured out and about. So I am feeling a little accomplished and sometimes that is half of the battle when you have no energy or enthusiasm. So today turned out ok… and I can be happy with just ok.